WEBVTT A Des Moines man is in jail tonight after police say he shotand killed his wife!50-year-old Harold Dudley ischarged with first degree murder. After police found hiswife, 36-year- old Mary Dudley, dead inside the couple'sapartment - the Southbrook GreenApartments in the 15-hundredblock of Evergreen Avenue.KCCI's Maria Lisignoli joins us in the newsroom and Maria.Maria, you've learned the suspect has a violent past? Todd and Laura, online courtrecords show Dudley pleaded guilty to child endangerment andkidnapping in 2006. And in 1996 he pleaded guilty to 3rd degree sexual abuse. Now, police are trying to figure out exactlywhat led him to kill his wife this morning. A chaotic scene around theSouthbrook Green apartmentcomplex Saturday morning. <"I WAS I GOT UP, WE WERE STARTING TO CLEAN UPAND I HEARD I WANT TO SAY AROUND 9:25 I HEARD 5 GUNSHOTSGO OFF."> Des Moines Police rushed to the third floor apartment, but it was too late. <"FEMALEVICTIM, SHOTS TO THE HEAD.">Police found 36- year-old MaryDudley dead at the scene. <"I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THIS VICTIM BEFORE WITHA DISPUTE WITH HER BOYFRIEND."> Neighbors knew of the violent past relationship between Dudleyand her estranged husband ... sothey were able to help police identify and catch Harold Dudley. <"THE VICTIM IN THIS CASE HAD GREAT SUPPORT HEREFROM HER NEIGHBORS WITH SOMEONGOING DOMESTIC ISSUES. THIS UNFORTUNATELY DOESN'T SEEM LIKE ANYTHING THEY COULD HAVEPREVENTED."> One neighbor who lived below the Dudley's thoughtshe heard the couple fighting that morning. <"BUT I WAS LIKENO THEY AIN'T FIGHTING, YOU HEARD IT WAS LIKE POW, A LITTLE WAIT, POW AND THEN THEY YEAH">Des Moines police say this case was solved so quickly because ofthe good communication betweenthe police departments and thewitnesses.<"WE NEED TOJUST KEEP COMING TOGETHER AS ACOMMUNITY AND WE NEED TO STICKTOGETHER AND WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION AND HELP OURNEIGHBORS.">Police say there was a dog at the scene and animal control wascalled to safely take the dog away. Todd.

Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek on Saturday characterized the recent rise in homicidal violence as a “behavioral problem” that starts in the home, a sharp comment made hours after the city’s 16th homicide this year.

Authorities in Ames apprehended 50-year-old Harold Dudley, who is accused of shooting and killing his estranged wife, 36-year-old Mary Dudley around 9:30 a.m. in her apartment in the 1500 block of Evergreen Avenue on Des Moines’ south side.

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The suspect has since been transferred into the custody of the Des Moines Police Department. He was taken to the Polk County Jail and been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree burglary.

Parizek said the violence stemmed from a domestic-related incident, though he didn’t elaborate on the suspect’s motive nor did he say what firearm was used in the shooting. He confirmed that Harold and Mary Dudley were married but living apart at the time of the shooting.

When asked if access to guns contributed to the uptick in deadly shootings, Parizek responded: “I don’t want to dip my toes too far into legislative issues, but we’re a right-to-carry state. We unfortunately find a lot of legally possessed firearms used in crimes these days. That’s a problem.”

He said police officers try their best to prevent crime on the backside, but education and prevention starts in the home, and communication among family members and neighbors is key to curbing potential tragedies from happening.

That proved to be the case in Dudley’s arrest after neighbors -- with whom the victim grew well-acquainted, Parizek said -- when authorities were able to quickly locate the suspect vehicle based on the description they were given.

“It’s to my understanding that the victim had great support from her neighbors with some ongoing domestic issues,” Parizek said.

Neighbors told KCCI that the couple lived at the apartment building for two months and they seemed like relatively quiet residents.

Online court records, however, show Dudley has had numerous run-ins with law enforcement agencies. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to child endangerment and kidnapping charges, and in 1996, he pleaded guilty to third-degree sexual abuse.

Des Moines police, along with city leaders, announced last month a pool of money, which was collected from nearby businesses and private donors, has been reserved to use in violence crime cases as an incentive for people who come forward with information that would help lead to an arrest.

"Right now, it seems we are hitting a roadblock with people willing to come forward with information, so this is kind of an innovative way to create that incentive,” Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert said.

The money, however, won’t be handed out freely.

“The nice thing about this funding is that we are able to get people in front of us and vet their information before we start going out rewarding money and then also manage that fund accordingly,” Parizek said.

Though the initiative didn’t appear to be instrumental in Dudley’s arrest, it fosters a discussion about city violence and how to better protect the city.

“Gun control is not the issue; it’s behavioral control. And we need to focus our efforts on behavior control -- making sure people know what’s acceptable and what’s not and that starts at home,” Parizek said. “Sometimes, (violence is) just going to happen, and there’s no excuse for it to happen. It’s certainly not acceptable to us, but it’s an unfortunate part of our lives right now.”